Shadows Dawn
by xXCrownofChaosXx
Summary: Everyone knows Trina Vega. She's the egotistical, self-centered older sister of one Tori Vega who thinks everything revolves around her. However, what if all of that was nothing more than an act? What if Trina was talented in something that not only makes her happy but, helps her survive life? The world of video games can do that to you, especially when you're trapped inside one.
1. Prologue & Application

**Hello everyone! This is your friendly xXCrownofChaosXx and I'm here with another Victorious tale. This time, we'll be looking into the world of Trina Vega and her (somewhat) interesting journey into realizing her worth in life. But, what if it had nothing to do with singing or acting? What if Trina found an unconventional means of developing higher self-esteem? Follow her story as she makes new friends, allies, and enemies throughout her journey. This fiction focuses heavily on TrinaxOc with sporadic interactions from Tori and the others. They'll play a minor role here and there but mostly this will center around Trina and various other OCs.**

 **If you're interested in having your OC featured (and I do mean as regular characters as well) just drop a PM and I'll message you the application directly so you can copy and paste rather than having to write out the whole thing. (Official results will be posted in a separate section which I'll put up after this chapter). Without going into too much detail, I'll be looking for fellow recurring characters as well as major characters to appear throughout the story. There won't be too many available slots but enough to be able to make a legitimate world.**

 **Alright, without further ado, let's get into Trina's life and see how she grows from arrogant diva to confident young woman.**

* * *

 **Shadows Dawn**

 **Prologue**

The other Vega.

Tori's annoying sister.

Talentless.

Worthless.

Stuck up.

Friendless.

All of those listed above was just the tip of the iceberg of what Trina would hear from her fellow students at Hollywood Arts. Whether it was overhearing murmurs throughout the halls or directly to her face, it was no less painful to endure. Her one-woman show tanking didn't help her mood either as she fiddled with the combination to her locker. In her mind, she replayed the boos that echoed in the Black Box theater when she'd begun her opening number; that was only five minutes into the show, mind you.

'What was that trainwreck?'

'I didn't think anything could be worse than that time we had to eat mystery meat... but, that takes the cake.'

'Who greenlit that hot garbage?'

'How did she get into this school with no talent?'

Those were the kind comments and reviews she'd read.

Aimlessly, she grabbed a couple of books that were needed for an upcoming exam and slammed the door with the tiniest of smiles resting on her lips.

Yes, despite the colossal failure of her performance, Trina Vega was indeed smiling which, predictably, earned her a few wary looks from anyone who happened to pass her by. Each step only made the gesture grow in strength as the brunette was now beaming just as she approached the orange 2002 Chevy Impala sitting in the school's parking lot.

She stepped inside, placing her book bag on the passenger side without delay. She was grateful that Tori had decided to carpool with Andre instead as she turned the key in the ignition. The last thing she wanted to do was delay her plans by dropping off her sister off at home.

Her heart was now pounding as she tapped the steering wheel as if waiting for something.

That something would come in the form of a familiar 'ping' from her phone, which she wasted little time in checking. Manicured fingers wrapped around the device, twitching slightly in eagerness. Her excitement was rewarded by a message she'd been anticipating.

 **Hey, the gang's waiting for you at the usual spot. 6th floor. Southside. :)**

She rolled her eyes at the subtle traces of impatience behind the message and sent her reply swiftly before pulling off.

Several minutes passed, consisting of her jamming out to the newest Ke$ha song on the radio until she arrived at her destination. Turning off, she entered a parking garage, flashing an identification card to the guard who smiled widely in response. "Welcome back, T." he tipped his hat, resulting in a giggle for his trouble. "You ready for tonight's match?"

"Ready as I'll ever be, Derrick."

"Well, go easy on the poor chumps, their pretty green when it comes to this league." he frowned softly. "No need in you crushing their hopes before they've even got started."

Her response was a simple shrug followed by a devious smirk. "They should know what they're getting into before they qualified."

Derrick burst into a fit of laughter. "Spoken like a true warrior!"

Their conversation was abruptly stopped short when he spotted a few more cars arriving behind the girl. Noticing it herself, Trina took her card back after the guard ran it through the system to 'confirm' her identity. Once the rail lifted, she passed by without a care in the world only to hear her friend call out to her.

"Go easy on 'em!"

"No promises!" she yelled back, waving to him before heading up the ramp the upper level of the garage.

Several twists and turns later, Trina would find herself on the second highest floor where she was peering out for a place to park. With the sun going down, it would only be a matter of time before the lights would illuminate the place and help her vision. It didn't matter though as she managed to find the designated spot where a young man stood leaning against his dark blue Ford Mustang. He twisted his head in her direction, chuckling softly as she settled the vehicle into a parking space next to him while making various goofy faces at him.

"What the hell, Trina?" he snorted when she managed to contort her face into something resembling the girl from the ring.

Turning the engine off, she stepped out, heading over to her trunk. "Gotta keep my favorite guy grinning, don't I?"

"Mhmm..." he crossed his arms then mirrored her actions as well. "So, how were classes?"

"Blah..." she huffed, removing her designer top, exchanging it for a fitted t-shirt that had 'ChaotikRogues' spelled in red on the front. "I bombed in my performance, today."

"It couldn't have been that bad."

"It was horrible, Liam!" she chocked, pulling the top over her head.

"Okay! I'm sorry..." he held his hands up defensively. "We'll work on things later if that'll make you feel better."

Silence fell on the two, smothering them in awkwardness while they continued to get dressed. While Trina wasn't willing to admit it, she was grateful for the concern displayed by her best friend (yes, she had a best friend). Once she finished getting ready, she spared a glance at the guy, noticing how well he was built, a fact made all the more obvious when he got the shirt fully on.

"Trina?" she blinked a few times to find Liam snapping his fingers in her face. "Earth to Trina!"

"What?" she blushed out of embarrassment.

"I asked were you ready to go? The others are already inside."

"Oh, right... Let's do this!" she pumped her fist in the air.

Liam raised an eyebrow, skepticism oozing from his pores at this moment yet, figured this was his best friend being her usual weird self. In fact, outside of the knowledge given to him, he never truly knew the other side of Trina Vega. In front of him stood a young woman with medium length brown hair, very little make-up, and bright honey brown eyes that popped when the lights hit them.

There were no traces of the pompous girl who felt entitled to everything, instead, he was looking at a simple girl with a natural beauty and a magnetic personality that he couldn't help but love.

"Alright, well, let's give these posers hell and punch our ticket to the big leagues." he then leaned forward, stretching an arm out in a mock bow. "Shall we, your majesty?"

She rolled her eyes in response but returned with a messy curtsy. "Thank you, Wolfy!" she resisted the laugh that tickled her throat upon watching him shudder at the mention of her nickname for him.

"I told you, it's Fang..." he whined, pointing to the back of his shirt.

"Sorry..." she smirked softly. "I just like calling you that."

"Whatever..." he muttered, playfully sticking his tongue out. "Come on. The others should be downstairs waiting for us."

The pair made their exit, each content with the other's presence while making their way to the elevator. Once inside, they took turns cutting glances at one another until they reached the underground floor. Muffled sounds of Techno music pounded against the metal doors, matching their heartbeats. Liam could tell that his partner was extremely focused now. He smiled inwardly, knowing that the time for talk was over, now, only their actions were needed as he took several deep breaths before hardening his emerald orbs.

Soon, their patience would be rewarded as the elevator doors split open, allowing the full brunt of the music to flood the tiny space they occupied. Accompanied by the various screams of the crowd, Liam and Trina entered with a purpose, neither looking to show any sign of weakness. The only thing on their minds was winning. Their path led them to a small area where multiple chairs sat in a circle, their gazes soon noticing the headsets resting in the seats.

"You ready?" he heard her whisper, despite the roars surrounding them.

"Yep..." he allowed a confident smirk to grace his full lips.

They took a moment to survey their surroundings, the sounds of the Dj on the mic soon filling their ears.

"Welcome one and all! Welcome to the ESPCon!"

* * *

 **OC Application**

 *** Basic Info (OC real world)**

 **Full Name:**

 **Gender:**

 **Ethnicity:**

 **Age (17-25):**

 **Hairstyle:**

 **Hair Color:**

 **Height:**

 **Weight/Build:**

 **Eye Color:**

 **Skin Tone:**

 **School (Hollywood Arts/Northridge/PCA):**

 **Grade:**

 **Main Friend (choose up to three from PCA or Hollywood Arts):**

 **Personality:**

 **Sexuality (All are welcome):**

 **Home Life:**

 **OC Gamer Information**

 **Gamer Tag (ex. TempestGaleXx):**

 **Team/Guild Name (ex. ChaotikRogues):**

 **Is your guild exclusive to one race or multiple ones?:**

 **P.S. Guilds are first come, first serve and I'm only allowing 3 or 4 created guilds. So, if you want to have your idea turned into one of the major guild or teams, then you'll have to send in your application to me asap. If you don't make it in time, you can either have your guild as a minor one, be a solo player in the story, or join one of the four established ones. If you want to know if yours made the cut then check the other area (link will be posted soon) or check in with me via PM or review. The team name will be used when the setting is in the real world.**

 **In-Game Character**

 **(This info is for the OC will be portrayed similarly to Sword Art Online. Below are seven races for you to choose from. I will list a short description so you can see what to expect upon your choice. Keep in mind, all races have can have different color tones unless stated otherwise. There are also limitations in order to keep things fair when writing your OC. Every race will have a humanoid appearance but defining features of whichever race you chose.)**

 **Game character name:**

 ***[Race]:**

 **Human- The most balanced of all the races; They excel in no one category yet are typically the most adaptable and have the most potential in skill-set. While bland in appearance in the beginning, they are easily the most customizable as well, making them very popular with first time gamers. They are also the only characters who can utilize all the elements in their arsenal while the other races are usually restricted. [No Advantage/Disadvantage.]**

 **Drailk (Dragon-like features)- By far the most powerful in pure attack and fire magic within the world of Vlagand. Those who choose this race have scale-like tattoos that adorn certain parts of their body and either have tails, hind legs, or wings (sometimes a combo). They are relatively slow when faced with physical combat, but are exceptional in battling groups and from afar. [Strong against Fenris/Umbral. Weak against Gunama.]**

 **Gunama (Merfolk features)- Where Drailk's are the masters of fire, Gunama's are the rulers of water & ice. This races advantages lie in their magic rather than their physical skills, though they are capable fighters. They have the highest health but, similar to their elemental rival's they are slow in combat and rely more on attacking in groups or guilds rather than alone unless they're strong enough to endure an onslaught. On land, they move around with legs but, in the water, their limitations are ALMOST non-existent. They specialize in healing and protection spells but are absolutely deadly in the offensive when surrounded by water (the more the better). [Strong against Drailks. Weak against Ithuri]**

 **Ithuri (Cat-like features)- While the other races strengths lie in direct combat, Ithuri's are by far the fastest race in the game (at least on land). They are typically stealth users whose advantages lie in utilizing their surroundings while in combat or otherwise. They beat out any race with their speed, but their overall health and physical power leave something to be desired as they can be taken out in groups or in one-on-one situations while out in the open. Instead, they choose to lure their opponents into crowded areas and cluttered surroundings in order to take them out with swift precision, making them the perfect assassins. [Strong against Gunama. Weak against Ayissi]**

 **Ayissi (Bird-like features)- If Gunama's are the fastest in the water, and the Ithuri's are the fastest on land, then Ayissi's are the masters of the skies. The ultimate hunters, this race are the perfect marksmen/snipers when dealing with combat. Unlike the other races, their power stems more from poisons and one-shot kills to finish the job and should they be discovered, they are practically sitting ducks. This is usually why they only pick their spots in terms of finishing enemies and are normally the support crew on teams and guilds. They are late game characters that can do heavy damage but only if the tides of battle are in their favor. They can fly either to cut off escape or to escape themselves should they need to. They are the second bet scouts in the game as well, right behind the Umbral and Fenris races. [Strong against Ithuri. Weak against Fenris/Umbral]**

 **Fenris/Ulbralm (Wolf/Fox-like features)- While limited in elemental damage, the foxes and wolves of this race are the strongest in skill and physical combat. Instead of using magic directly, they are known to channel what little they can into enchanted weaponry. This allows them to hunt and scout their prey throughout battles and normal gaming life. Their only competition in the assassination department are Drailks who can hide their scents from them. They are the ultimate counter-attackers which give them a slight edge over Ithuri's and a massive one over the Ayissi. As far as appearance goes, they have clawed/furry forearms and hands, fox or wolf tails, and large hind legs (imagine weregarurumon) that give them huge bursts of acceleration when they're about to strike. [Strong against Ayissi. Weak against Drailks.]**

 **Normal Player or PK (Player Killer):**

 **Race appearance (eye color, Fur or scale color, etc.):**

 **Romantic Interest? (Aside from Trina & Liam):**

 **Canon characters or OC relationship? (If you chose yes above):**

 **Lastly, do you have any details that you'd like to add? (if so, please let me know via PM so that we can discuss and modify your character to your liking. I cannot stress that enough.):**

* * *

 **Alright, with all of that done, I would like to reiterate that the application will be posted in a separate fiction that I'll try and put a link to below once I've put it up. That will be for the official roster of characters and guilds so that I can keep up with everything while I'm writing. Basically, it's an organizational tool so that I don't forget about your character or I don't have them in a way that's not true to how you put them. All characters have an opportunity to be featured, so don't worry if your guild idea isn't a major one. You'll still be involved in the story especially when it gets to the good parts.**

 **Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this idea and feel free to give your input as well. I'm always looking to improve my skills as I'm working on a novel using this idea as well.**

s/12961383/1/Shadows-Dawn-OC-Files


	2. Chapter 1: Press Start

**Hello everyone! This is your friendly xXCrownofChaosXx and I'm here with another Victorious tale. This time, we'll be looking into the world of Trina Vega and her (somewhat) interesting journey into realizing her worth in life. But, what if it had nothing to do with singing or acting? What if Trina found an unconventional means of developing higher self-esteem? Follow her story as she makes new friends, allies, and enemies throughout her journey. This fiction focuses heavily on TrinaxOc with sporadic interactions from Tori and the others. They'll play a minor role here and there but mostly this will center around Trina and various other OCs.**

 **If you're interested in having your OC featured (and I do mean as regular characters as well) just drop a PM and I'll message you the application directly so you can copy and paste rather than having to write out the whole thing. (Official results will be posted in a separate section which I'll put up after this chapter). Without going into too much detail, I'll be looking for fellow recurring characters as well as major characters to appear throughout the story. There won't be too many available slots but enough to be able to make a legitimate world.**

 **Alright, without further ado, let's get into Trina's life and see how she grows from an arrogant diva to confident young woman.**

* * *

 **Shadows Dawn**

 **Chapter 1: Press Start**

The noise of the crowd was deafening, drowning any possible train of thought that dare try to form in Trina's brain. It seemed that every single attempt she made to focus on the task at hand, the roar of the masses would immediately fill her ears, ruining her concentration; it was a given that she was thoroughly annoyed by this. She sat in her designated seat, taking a moment to calm her nerves. Looking to her left, Liam appeared to be doing the same, though, his face looked miles away from hers. Tranquility covered his features as he inhaled steadily just prior to putting on his headset.

Cutting her gaze to the right, she began to notice the opposition beginning to arrive. One was a young man about 5'8" with a slight pudgy build to him while his partner had the appearance of a punk rocker. Long blond hair with pink tips flowed on one side of her head while the other half had been shaved. She had a multitude of piercings including two in her tongue that she made sure to show off at the Latina when she caught her staring.

The other two teams were your standard nerds who looked (and smelled) like they never got out of the house unless forced to by their parents. Either way, she wasn't going to allow herself to be intimidated.

"Players! Get ready and log in!"

She didn't waste any more time and pulled her own headset over her ears, lightly pulling the clear visor over her eyes.

A few seconds passed until the username screen appeared on the small screen. She mentally put in her information and patiently waited for the system to register everything. It didn't take long before she was prompted to relax and close her eyes, the last thing she heard was the faint encouragement of her best friend. "You got this..." Strangely that seemed to relieve a little bit of the stress as she felt her senses being plunged into the virtual world.

A series of bright lights flashed as her body seemed to float in midair.

"User recognized..." she heard the (surprisingly) male mechanical voice announce. "Welcome back, EmpressDivana. Character upload complete. Stat upload complete. Sensory alignment, complete. World Arena loading... 65%"

This was standard for her as her virtual form began to morph into her created character. Beautiful olive skin began to shift into a cerulean hue that covered her entire body. Fins then sprouted on her forearms. Her full-figured build was then adorned in a short battle gear that resembled Roman-style armor, complete with shield and trident spear. With long flowing teal hair, she smirked as the system once again spoke up.

"World Arena Ready. Fight hard, and good luck."

The digital world soon transitioned into one that she was all too familiar with, though, not in a good way. The sounds of birds cawing and the humid air surrounding her signaled that she must be in the Bhanij Jungle region, one of the few locations where she would be at a major disadvantage. The scowl on her face only grew as the sudden stench of the wildlife soon filled her nose.

"Just my luck..." she muttered, scanning the area.

"Complaining already, Yfe?" she turned around suddenly only to wind up face to face with her best friend. Her aqua orbs stared at the black & white wolfman with matching fur. The only thing about him that was remotely recognizable at first glance were his emerald green eyes that shined like the jewel they mirrored. His chest was well defined, not too off from his real-life body, as a wolf fang necklace rested on his bare chest. He was still human like but, had many features that seemed to make him appear more animal than man. "I thought you'd be used to having these things happen by now."

She rolled her eyes in response, wiping her brow in the process. "Whatever, it's not like you have anything to worry about."

"Don't get huffy with me..." he chuckled, his deep voice resonating in his chest. "You chose to be a Gunama, not me. I suggested Ithuri but you didn't want to."

"I DID! It' just a secondary character that I don't play as much, Arjen..."

The Fenris let out a breath then shook his head at his friend's stubbornness. "I swear..."

"Attention players, the time for battle has come! This is one fall team battle royale." The duo ceased their bickering, giving the moderator their full undivided attention. "The rules are simple, eliminate the other members of each team in order to win. The entire landscape is your battleground but, do not leave the designated area or you will be disqualified. Any use of cheat codes or hacking will result in disqualification and a permanent ban on their Outcast Online accounts! If there are no questions..." The speaker left a little time for anyone to speak before resuming. "...Let not your sacrifice be in vain!"

The time had come as the Gunama and Fenris began their trek through the winding jungle.

Arjen (Liam) took to the trees, scouting for any signs of immediate danger while Yfe (Trina) followed on the ground. She was still a bit miffed at the fact that they were placed in a disadvantageous spot but, she figured that her friend was correct in that her complaining would do nothing of favor for them. For now, she would settle on being back up until they could find a source of water for her to charge up.

With her shield at the ready, her eyes flashed back and forth in anticipation of a surprise attack that could come from anywhere.

Meanwhile, Arjen continued to leap from branch to branch, almost without a care in the world which made her shake her head at his child-like antics. Despite being a year older than her, it didn't stop him from acting like the complete opposite at times which only served to amuse her as his tail soon disappeared into the scenery. This brought her back to reality, as a sudden realization hit her.

"He left me alone again!" she growled in irritation, stamping her foot repeatedly.

"That's too bad..." Yfe froze dead in her tracks as the hissing voice. "And here we were hoping to take you both out at the same time."

Turning around, pools of trepidation watched as a scaled young woman emerged from behind one of the massive trees. Her face was twisted in a demented grin, a forked tongue dangling past her lips. Pale golden optics stunned Yfe even more as another figure arrived from the other side of the twisted environment. From his appearance, she was able to tell that he was an Ithuri by his pointed ears and the long tail swishing back and forth.

'Get it together, girl,' she shook off the effects of her fear, putting up her shield and sword in defense.

"Isn't that adorable, Sanen?" the feminine dragon giggled playfully. "She's going to fight us all by herself."

"Pathetic if you ask me, Haji." he brushed his spotted fur, revealing that he was of the leopard variety.

"Agreed." The red scaled woman replied, pulling out her dual daggers. "The quicker the better."

Despite Yfe's high defense, she was still unsure of whether or not she would be able to handle the two on her own. This left her with only one option:

Run...

The only problem? Her energy was low due to the dry environment sapping any form of moisture making running not an option for her. The grim reality began to settle in: She was going to have to fight and risk being eliminated early. Swallowing her fear, she lifted her shield and aqua blade, hardening her resolve.

'Liam, you jerk!'

As the two began to engage, she could only see a bright flash that tore her vision away and at that moment, her mind as well.

* * *

"Nobody likes you!"

That was the last thing Trina Vega heard before slamming the front door behind her. She then turned her attention to the road ahead, stomping away down the street. Sure, she had a vehicle to drive, but, she just wanted to get away from her sister and her obnoxious friends as quickly as possible. In fact, it was Jade's voice that resonated in the older Vega's mind as she turned the corner, disappearing behind the neighbor's hedges.

Truth be told, Trina had no idea where she was going.

It was after nearly 10 minutes of random walking that she accepted this reality.

After mentally cursing herself for such an idiotic blunder, she found that she wound up at a park. The area was pretty big, taking up the size of a city block with the various trees and play areas. The bright lights overhead kept the place well illuminated which put the young woman's fears to rest for the time being. Once she calmed her nerves, she shrugged her shoulders then made her way towards the playground area, preferably the swing set.

Back and forth.

Trina sat solemnly in the seat, allowing her body to follow the directions without too much thought put into the action. Instead, her mind would swirl with the stinging memories from her encounter with Tori and her friends.

She was no fool.

There was no doubt that she wasn't welcomed, and the older Vega sibling knew that even before she made her 'grand' appearance. What happened next could only be viewed as predictable as the collective groans (save for Cat), complaints, and insults rained down upon her with a thinly veiled viciousness that she'd come to accept.

 _Trina, what do you want?_ Her baby sister's voice rang within the depths of her mind first, the disgruntled tone dripping like a leaky faucet.

 _Honestly, I'm still wondering how she got into Hollywood Arts..._ That time Beck's could be heard along with Andre's grunt of approval.

 _I mean... She's pretty, right?_ The airy tone of a certain red-head made her gaze go numb as she continued to rock along numbly.

Unfortunately, one statement from one Jade West, three simple words sliced deep into her soul.

 _Nobody likes you!_

'Just a typical day for Trina...' she lamented, screwing her eyes shut.

"Excuse me...?" The girl nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of the unfamiliar voice behind her. "S-sorry! I didn't mean to scare you..."

"W-whatever..." she replied softly. "I wasn't scared. I was just..." she paused, pondering a sound excuse to give for her alarmed reaction. "I was just concerned that you were trying to do something funny."

"Concerned?" She couldn't see him with her back turned to him but, he sported a crossed arms/raised eyebrow combination now.

"Yes. Concerned!" she clutched the chains of the swing, refusing to face the young man still. "Don't you have somewhere to be or do you just enjoy annoying random girls you've just met?"

"I don't know. Do you always act like a brat when someone's trying to be nice to you?"

Fully prepared to give the intruder a piece of her mind, Trina shot up from her seat only to stop short of doing just that when she noticed the identity of the young man. Dark brown skin coupled with bright green eyes greeted her with concern and innocence that made her heart skip a beat (actually several). Strong muscles hugged by a burgundy shirt caused a bead of sweat to fall from her forehead as she struggled to gather the words to retort. Upon closer inspection, Trina was able to make out his strong jawline and the patch of dark hair that covered his chin giving him a more mature look. Lastly, long black dreadlocks tied into a neat man bun finished off the casual look.

"Um... hello?"

"W-what?" she shook her head lightly.

"Are you okay? You look like you were spaced out."

All of this she was able to make out before realizing she'd been staring at him all of this time; a revelation that forced her cheeks to heat up.

"Sorry..." she averted her gaze towards anything else other than the young man's face. "I was just lost in thought, that's all."

Truth be told, she wanted nothing more than to just disappear. Not only did she feel horrible from dealing with Tori and her friends, but now, here she was, internally gawking over some guy she'd just met in the middle of the night. Without warning, hot crystals began to form along the corners of her eyes as the embarrassment began to sink in deeper by the second.

'He must think I'm a creep or a weirdo too!' she silently cursed.

Imagine her surprise when, instead of a disgusted expression, the young man began to smile warmly towards her. "That's a relief! I thought something had happened to you..." he replied gently only to flash a look of realization suddenly shifted into one of concern. "I apologize if I offended you... I've just been having a bad day and I wound up taking it out on you."

"O-oh! It's nothing, really!" she giggled nervously. "I'm guilty of that myself. So, I guess that makes us even then."

"Still, let me make it up to you..." he chuckled from embarrassment himself, somehow managing to calm the young Latina down.

Of course, given her track record, Trina usually had two ways of handling good gestures like this: 1. become overly clingy or 2. be a total gank with either choice resulting in the person running away from her as if she was infected with the black plague. This time, she simply smiled at him and nodded, catching herself off guard in the process.

"What did you have in mind?"

* * *

Trina (or Yfe) was shocked to see her partner Arjen stepping between her and the two assailants, before witnessing him hack and slash at the cat-like creature who had no answer for the ruthless attack. The young woman known as Haji watched as each swipe chipped away at her Ithuri teammate's health until there was practically nothing left; it was a miracle that the feral combo left anything at all, which was all Sanen needed to turn this around.

"Cocky bastard!" the big cat roared. "I'll rip you apart!"

"Yeah right, fatass!" he smirked, ducking under the lightspeed slash.

Left. Right. Uppercut. Sidekick.

Nothing seemed to connect as the two continued their game of "cat & mouse".

"Hurry up and hit him, Sanen!" the dragon girl ordered, serving only to infuriate the bulky feline.

"I'm trying!"

"...and failing, I must add!" Arjen chuckled, masterfully ducking and dodging the erratic blows.

"You wouldn't hit a guy that's smaller than you, would you?"

A ferocious swipe reduced a tree to nothing more than kindling.

"You COULDN'T hit a guy that's smaller than you!"

This time the punch hit nothing but air.

"Hell, you couldn't hit the broad side of a barn!" the wolf boy erupted into a fit of laughter as the now pissed Ithuri charged at him.

"I WILL END YOU!" feline fangs dripped with rage.

Not surprising in the least, Arjen simply stepped to the side, allowing the leopard to crash into a thicket of vines, becoming entangled in the foliage. With cries of fury, Sanen began struggling only to find the vines wrapping tighter around his limbs.

"Sanen!" the Drailk girl cried out in terror.

"Sad really..." he heard the mocking tone of the Fenris approaching him. "They say cats are intellectually superior to dogs and yet, you fell for such an obvious trick."

"This won't hold me forever, you know!"

"Of course not..." he smirked darkly. "But that's not what I was referring to."

Reaching up, he used his claws to cut down a few of the vines but, it appeared that nothing had happened. It took only a moment for the captured player to realize this truth as well, following it up with a cocky sneer.

"Ha! Your trap failed!"

"Did it?" A dark glare forced Sanen to flinch in the bindings when something didn't feel right. Underneath him, the various vines were no longer there, leaving nothing but air. This allowed the smirk to return to the tribal wolfman's face. "Goodbye, loser..."

All it took was a single swipe to end the feline's short time in the game as he fell into the seemingly endless void beneath. His screams echoed until it was no more.

"Attention players! Sanen the Ithuri has now been eliminated! There are now only seven players remaining." The announcer's voice rang throughout the digital world.

"You..." the boy's partner pointed a finger towards the back of Arjen who slowly turned to her with an equally devilish grin. "You'll pay for killing Sanen!"

However, she never got the chance to even raise her blade when the sound of a sword piercing flesh could be heard throughout the jungle. 'Blood' flew in the air, no doubt from the female Drailk who gasped in shock from the surprise attack.

"I wouldn't count on that," Yfe whispered, her weakened state clearly visible behind each word.

"D-damn..." Haji spat out, a perfect mix of frustration and disappointment pouring from her lips as she fell to her knees before disappearing into a myriad of pixels.

"Attention players! Haji, Casmer, & Bakum have been eliminated. The remaining players are Yfe, Arjen, Gardonika, & Nikochan! Congratulations on winning your respective team battles. The tournament finals will be held in the next 30 minutes. Please log out and be ready to give it everything you've got.

"I guess this benefits us, huh?" Arjen chuckled only to receive a swift punch to the arm. "Ow!"

"That's for disappearing on me!" she yelled, forcing him to raise his hands defensively in hopes of avoiding another attack.

"Sorry, Trina..." he cut his eyes away from her, sincerity and remorse clearly present in his now slouched demeanor. "I got a little excited."

"It's fine."

"Can I make it up to you later?" he offered, much to her amusement.

"What did you have in mind?" she rolled her eyes, still feigning irritation.

"Can I tell you after we log out and win this tournament?"

She sighed softly but, nodded in agreement before the two commenced with their immediate actions. A few seconds passed before the two were able to remove the helmets yet, they didn't waste any time in doing so once they were permitted to do so. With the roar of the crowd died down due to the break, she turned her attention to Liam.

"I can't wait..." she grinned softly.

* * *

The competition went on for several hours only for Trina & Liam to wind up placing second, giving their opponents the first prize. They wouldn't leave empty handed though. Despite not winning the top position, they were given invitations to a special event that would happen at the beginning of summer. In the meantime, the two would go to Nozu's after to catch a quick bite.

Afterward, the duo would leave the gamer style restaurant and later travel over to the former's house.

It wasn't necessary, a fact Trina would constantly mention, but, nonetheless she'd find herself being followed until she was safely parked in the Vega's driveway. On some occasions, she'd find herself being walked to her front door by the young man. Though she would never admit it, she enjoyed his chivalry. This time was no different as, by the time she opened the door, Liam was already outside waiting.

"You know, you don't have to keep doing this, you know?" she reprimanded, though not without amusement dancing in her voice.

"I know... But I like to." he wagged his eyebrows playfully, resulting in her rolling her eyes.

"Mhmm... well thank you, but, I guess I should go inside. I do have finals next week that I should study for, I guess..."

"Oh, yeah..." Liam turned his vision towards his car in hopes of hiding his disappointment. "I completely understand. Final's are important."

To anyone else who 'knew' her, Trina would be expected to miss even the obvious of signs indicating someone else's feelings. However, she was able to catch even the slightest change in tone in Liam's voice.

A small grin graced her lips before she approached her dear friend, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. "I'd rather not leave We can always hang out since you only stay a few blocks away from here."

Now it was his turn to roll his eyes at her jab. "True. Just remember that you're always welcome to come over at any time. Just call me before you show up though, alright?"

"Of course!"

"Okay, I'll stop pouting now..." he stuck his tongue out playfully.

"Trust me, if my sister and her friends are still here, you might receive a call sooner than later."

There were few things that could knock down the mood between the two and the older Vega sibling had crossed into that dreaded territory. Slowly the light began to fade from Liam's eyes, signaling that he knew where things were headed. In sync with him, Trina's joking demeanor disappeared without a trace, masked by the depressing gaze that spelled insecurity.

"Trina," he started, not wanting to trigger her. "Listen, don't stay here if things get bad. Okay?"

"I won't," she unconsciously wrapped her arms around her chest; it was something she normally did when she felt an episode coming on.

"I'm serious, Trina... Don't hesitate to come over if you need to. My mom won't mind you coming over; she never does."

She nodded, forcing a smile to appear on her face.

The thick silence permeated around the two for what felt like forever before Liam himself stepped forward. Still, in her funk, there was no time for Trina to question his actions until she found herself getting swept up into the warmest hug. There was no resistance from her, instead, a reciprocation that let her friend know that his gesture was much needed and appreciated.

"Thank you, Liam."

"Always," his feather-like whisper tickled her ear.

Eventually, the two pulled away (reluctantly) so that they could depart for their homes. In Trina's case, she watched the young man get into his car and never tore away until he was gone. Including the time it took for him to start the vehicle and wave goodbye, she spent a total of about 3 minutes before finally going into the homestead with the butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

That is until she realized who was inside.

"Oh good. The other Vega's back..."

* * *

 ** _I just wonder..._**

 ** _do you ever_**

 ** _think of me anymore?_**

 ** _Do you?_**

"Hello?" a gruff voice answered the phone, emerald eyes tightly shut in hopes of blocking out the blinding light from the device.

"I need to come over..." a somber feminine voice spoke up.

"Alright, I'll be down in a minute."

After hanging up, Liam crawled out of bed and threw on a plain black shirt before heading down the stairs with swiftness and precision. Thankfully, didn't have to worry about waking his mother up as she was a heavy sleeper. Letting out a soft yawn, he opened the door, expecting to be waiting for the distraught girl on the porch.

Imagine his surprise when Trina was already at the front door. From the looks of things, she'd been crying as fresh streaks ran down her delicate features. He then took in the way she clutched her book bag, nearly white knuckles adorning her fists as she trembled slightly. Mixed in with the tears, he could make out the rancid scent of pickles that coated her cheeks and hair.

Seeing her like this always brought out the dark part of his personality but, upon closer inspection, Liam noticed that look in her eyes; those damn beautiful mahogany gems staring back at him, pleading with him to not do anything in retaliation.

"Come on in," he muttered in irritation, though obviously not directed at her. "I'll get the sleeping bag out and you can take my bed. Luckily, I just put down fresh sheets too."

She did her best to show her gratitude by smiling but only succeeded in a crooked grin.

The two then went upstairs to his bedroom. Inside, she found it exactly how she remembered it, clean and filled with your typical gamer items. From Legend of Zelda to Tales of Symphonia, there was something about Liam's room that made her smile and forget about her woes. Guess it was the ultimate hidden gem of being a gamer.

"Alright," his gentle voice pulled Trina from her musings. "Thankfully, I told my mom that you might be coming over so you shouldn't have to leave early unless you want to. I even brought you your favorite plush."

The item in question was a yellow star with a small leaf attached on the top.

"Your paopu?" she blushed profusely at the sight of the small star, making Liam chuckle softly.

"Yep. I know how you like to sleep with it."

"But, I have mine at home! I can't take yours!"

In truth, it was one of two plushies that the pair bought some time ago as a matching set while at a gaming convention. They'd settled on holding onto them as a sign of their friendship but, there was a silent bond formed from these two simplistic stuffed dolls. A sign that neither knew the other had accepted when they learned the purpose of what the paopu fruit meant in the Kingdom Hearts universe.

For now, it would remain their closely guarded bond.

Trina took the plush and smiled like a little girl getting three scopes of her favorite ice cream flavor. She then remembered that she reeked of vinegar soaked cucumbers, suddenly dropped the cherished toy with a look of disgust.

"You okay?" he turned to find her staring at the plushie like it was a twisted beast.

"S-sorry... I just forgot that I need a shower."

Liam nodded in understanding.

"Right. Just head down the hall and it's the second door to the right." he pointed down the dark corridor. "I'll bring you some clothes for you to sleep in while you get cleaned up."

"Thanks a lot." she then quickly left out in hopes of avoiding having the room smell like dill pickles.

It didn't take long for her to get cleaned up as she was eager to rid herself of that horrid scent; she was also sure that she was going to stay away from the former vegetable for a while until she was cleared of the traumatic event. The hot water managed to soothe not only her skin but her mind as it took her from the terrible experience and instead placed her thoughts onto other things.

Preferably a certain kind-hearted boy.

She reached out for a bottle of lilac scented body wash, specifically bought for her, and lathered her body up once again until she was sure that she smelled presentable once again. Scrubbing her body thoroughly, she was finally content after the third or fourth wash and settled on rinsing off the last remnants of soap before wrapping herself in a towel to dry off.

She stepped out of the shower to find the clothes that Liam promised to bring for her.

Speaking of Liam, he was currently lying down on his bed, his eyes firmly glued to the ceiling as his mind began to wander. From the competition to now, there was one common denominator: Trina. He wouldn't admit it out loud but, she would occupy his mind throughout the day no matter where he was and it would either make him smile or infuriate him; the latter of the two normally came whenever she would reveal that she was being messed with by her younger sister's friends.

With the exception of a certain red-haired girl he'd met by accident sometime before, he didn't know much about the others outside of what was told to him. The main two though was the polarizing duo of some girl named Jade West who was a gothic chick with a clear chip on her shoulder, also the one he'd assume was responsible for the horrid smell he picked up a little while ago, and Tori Vega, the younger sister.

Whether the latter was directly responsible or not, she still was enabling this behavior by not putting an end to it.

For now, he wouldn't press the matter but, he would get some answers from Trina in due time. As soon as he calmed himself, a familiar scent caught his nose right before the young woman emerged from around the corner.

Outfitted in a black Harley Quinn/Poison Ivy shirt and matching shorts, she sat down on the foot of the bed, silently savoring the clean feeling.

"Better?" he propped himself on her elbows.

"Yeah, thanks again."

"No problem. What did you do with your clothes?"

"Oops! I left them in the bathroom..."

She motioned to get up and retrieve her belongings only for a strong hand to stop her.

"I'll take care of it. Besides, you don't know where the laundry room is either so, I'll take care of it and you get some rest alright?"

"Actually..."

"Hmm? Something wrong?"

She wanted to ask him... her heart was aching for her to just tell him that she wanted him to share the bed with her and yet...

"No. I just wanted to say thank you so much for all of this." she smiled brightly for the first time since arriving.

Liam returned the gesture, his own lips curling up as well.

"What are friends for? You know I'm here for you, Trina."

And with that, he was gone, leaving Trina Vega to relax under the soft comforter that held her closely under its warm embrace. Yet, she still felt a weird sense of coldness teasing her skin as if the thick blanket wasn't enough.

It wasn't...

Still, she didn't complain as she curled up next to the paopu fruit plushie until she began to feel her consciousness slipping from her. If you had told her that she would've been a gamer girl with a true friend (outside of maybe Cat Valentine), she might've snorted in disbelief and yet, here she was in another guy's house who not only treated her with the utmost respect but actually liked her for who she was.

Pleasant thoughts like these would later translate into even more pleasant dreams as she soon fell asleep, leaving only a light snore for Liam to return to. However, just before she was completely gone, she could hear a voice that resembled Liam's.

"...You DO look cute..."


End file.
